A Wicked Comeback: The Return to Oz
by schmoosh
Summary: Slightly AU. The Wicked Witch of the West returns to Oz by the will of the Unnamed God. She has a mission, to make Oz what it was in her Youth. ff Gelphie. M for later scenes
1. Chapter 1: A Disappearing Act

A Wicked Comeback: The Return to Oz

Disclaimer: I do not in ANY way own/make profit from Wicked or its characters. I wish I did. I simply like manipulating them to my every whim and will. Mauhahahhaa.

Authors Note: Hello all! Welcome to my newest fanfiction. I've come to the conclusion that I would much rather Elphaba had lived at the end of Wicked, Wicked the Musical and The Wizard of Oz

Oh… and while reading Wicked and watching the musical, I couldn't help but feel as if Elphaba and Glinda were… more than friends. It just struck me that way. Thanks to some imaginative Gelphie music videos and even better fics, I've decided that I'm a Gelphie shipper all the way. So… beware, brave reader, this is a f/f fiction. Meaning, female/female, romantically. If this bothers you or makes you squeamish or simply just makes you feel weird in ANY part of your body (unless it's the good kind lol) , please do not read. And no, smut-readers, I will not put any sex ever so soon into the story. That just makes it unfair. Where's the anticipation in that? You realize, anticipation makes certain things better ;)

-Slacker05

-o-o-o-o-o-

"**She was caught, twisting, trying, full of will, but towards what? A fragment of the brush of the broom fluttered off, and lit on her skirt, and there was a run of flames in her lap, eating up the driest tinder in the Vinkus. "Oh, will this nightmare never end," screamed Dorothy, and she grabbed at a bucket of collecting rainwater that, in the sudden flare up of light, had come into view. She said, "I will save you!" and he hurled the water at the Witch."**

**Wicked, Pg. 402**

-o-o-o-o-o-

Chapter 1: A Disappearing Act 

Elphaba felt the water splash onto her green skin and howled as the water instantly ate away at her flesh, slowly melting her, vaporizing her into the numb imaginative abyss where mama, Nessarose, papa, Shell, Doctor Dillamond, Ama Clutch and Ama Vimp waited happily, their eyes twinkling with laughter and calm bliss.

As the darkness slowly overtook the lonely, thought-to-be-soulless, vaporizing body, Elphaba felt warm, safe arms float around her waist, pulling her, cradling her to theirs. Though she dimly realized that this was not possible as her waist was currently a vapor in the winds, she settled back and closed her eyes; for the first time in more than a decade, she felt safe. There was a pulling sensation in the back of her mind. She resisted the pull at first, fearful of the nonexistence of eternity, but a warm, bubbly voice from the past swelled into her awareness.

"Let go, dear. It's safe where I bring you, you mean green thing."

Elphaba opened her eyes and looked down. Where legs and torso should be non-existent stood her form, clad in her frumpy black attire. As she wiggled her toes and extended her arm to examine her lengthy, green fingers in wonder, she realized with a distant shock that she was not actually… living. A moment's hysterics overwhelmed Elphaba and her breathing caught in her throat. She looked around sharply and realized she was standing nowhere. She swung her gaze from side to side frantically but only took in blankness, void of sound and distinct lighting. Not in the parapet that she had chased Dorothy into, not in midair… simply nowhere. No color or distinction of anything could be made. All the Witch was aware of was the invisible set of arms that were weaved around her waist and pulling her into a secure embrace. The sweet voice filled her senses again, soothing her suddenly frayed nerves.

"Hush your thoughts, sweetling. It will be smooth, I promise. Just relax and come with me?"

After a few moments, she felt herself growing weaker. Her physical body, now invisible to herself, was obviously disappearing from corporeal existence. She shuddered slightly and let go; She slipped in what she imagined a warm bath would feel like: a sensation of serene calmness overtook her once more. With a sigh, she turned in the embrace and took an invisible hand into her own. The abyss waited.

-o-o-o-o-o-

Dorothy looked on in horror as the Wicked Witch slowly disappeared from her sight, seemingly melting into the cold stone of the floor. As she withered away and her howls subsided, her head leaned back and her pointed hat lifted enough for Dorothy to see into her dark, sad eyes. Her eyes seemed slightly distant and misty, as if she were in a trance or brought back to a fond memory as she lived her last moments. As her eyes slid closed, a small sigh escaped her emerald lips; she was fully decom-ized in the wispy hiss of vapors. The Wicked Witch of the West was dead.

-o-o-o-o-o-

There was a distant but echoic rushing sound that filled Elphaba's ears as the invisible hand in her own increased the strength of its grasp. Her eyes were still closed gently and she savored the serene calm that she so rarely experienced during her time in Oz. As she became lost in the sensations flooding her 'body', she barely registered that the hand was tugging her through the empty space around her. The pressure in Elphaba's ears changed and they popped loudly, startling her out of her stupor.

As she forced her eyes open to look around the still empty space of wherever she was, Elphaba let her gaze linger on her hand. It almost looks amusing, she thought to herself, how her arm was extended out and her hand grasping what seemed to be air. Her thoughts did not linger for long on the absence of the body pulling her, for the calm came over her once again and she groaned softly as she relaxed her tired, tense muscles. Her head lolled onto her chest for a moment and she noticed dimly that her feet were hovering, not actually touching the nothingness underneath her. She raised her head again and noticed that where the invisible being was, a small shimmering, heat wave like cloud was appearing. It did not grow into distinction and in fact, the more Elphaba tried to focus her mind on the silhouette guiding her, the less detailed it became. Elphaba tried relaxing her mind after a moment and allowed her senses to govern her body. As she did so, the emptiness around her slowly filled, shapes and shades morphed into sharper relief; The invisible being slowly turned into a person, a shape, a figure of her past that Elphaba struggled to recognize through the fog of her mind.

"You always tried to think too much, you with your nose always in a book. Relax your mind and accept It." chuckled the bubbly voice inside Elphaba's mind

As her thoughts finally melted away completely, a room formed around them, swirling delicately in and out of focus, almost blinking out of existence until it finally became firm and reliable. The room was large enough; two beds, a desk and chair, a fireplace, two wardrobes, drapes that seemed to cover a window, and two other doors that lead into separate rooms.

"My old room in Shiz" murmured Elphaba, her eyes wandering over the pink pillows and blankets that adorned one of the beds. She looked around the room closer as the semi-invisible being let go of her hand and sat down at the desk daintily. Her eyes ran over books with familiar titles from the past, small knick-knacks that adorned the top of tables, handsome shoes placed neatly into a shelf, her old, bare bed that was neatly made. She took a few cautious, wobbly steps around the room, running her thin fingers over surfaces as she let memories from the happier years of her life flood her already muddled brain.

A polite cough roused Elphaba from her long forgotten memories. She turned her gaze to the… form… that rested against the desk that she was so familiarized with in her youth.

Bright blue eyes were staring at her from a slightly transparent face; youthful, bouncy blonde curls framed the kind smiling features. Her torso and legs were, as always, clad in a lovely gown of pink (though still going through the transformation between heat-waves and solidity). Elphaba's face formed a slight frown as she tried to recall this being. So very familiar to her, she knew, but in her muddled state she could not pinpoint her identity. Frustrated and aware that her senses were dulled beyond all comprehension, Elphaba opened her mouth slightly, intent on shooting a dry insult towards the petite female form. Her eyes widened slightly when only a breathy wheeze rushed past her lips. She shot a hand to her throat and stared in horror at the stunning creature before her. Her hand held a silvery wand-like apparatus before her, pointing it delicately at Elphaba's throat. Her eyes sparkled with mirth before schooling her features into a polite calmness.

"You really did talk a little sourly when you didn't understand something, Elphie. It is time for you to listen and to understand, not to shoot nasty mean words at the only 'other' that might exist for you here." Smirked the glowing, quickly solidifying woman

Elphaba narrowed her eyes slightly and pursed her lips before letting her arm drop away slightly from her throat. She instead crossed her arms, walked over to her old bed and dropped unceremoniously to the mattress. She glared up at the being and sulked a little before indicated with a small twitch of her head that she was indeed ready to listen.

"My, you're a tad grumpy for someone who just entered the Other World, Elphie. One would expect you to feel a little relief that eternity isn't just a large gaping nothingness." The bubbly woman chatted brightly

All Elphaba did was snort distastefully and furrow her brows further, which made her look quite like a cross frog.

The glowy woman standing in front of Elphaba giggled lightly to herself at this thought, covering her mouth in a womanly fashion. The Witch simply grunted in frustration and made an impatient movement with the arms, catching her companion's attention again.

"Oh dear, you poor sour thing. You must be horribly exhausted, what with you dying and whatnot-"

Elphaba's eyes hardened at this and she harrumphed quietly to herself.

"Here, some tea!" the woman waved her metal apparatus and a small pink tea set appeared beside her on the table. She poured two cups and added an unhealthy amount of sugar to one of the cups. She quietly handed Elphaba the plain tea before taking her own cup into her hands and inhaled the sweet aroma. Elphaba looked down into the steaming, murky drink.

The woman began to idly chat to what seemed to be herself while she looked around the room. "…Don't know where that bucket of water came from but she indeed saw it quickly. There was-"

The bubbly, energetic voice rambled on quite rudely and insensitively about the unfortunate details of Elphaba's death.

Elphaba ignored her as she inhaled lightly and felt her mind de-fog itself and thoughts formed again. She tried to concentrate on the woman in front of her. She winced automatically, feeling a phantom sting as the steam formed small drops on her cheek. She wiped it away quickly, looked back up at the woman so very familiar to her, so blonde and bubbl-

And it hit her. It all came back to the Witch very suddenly, much like the tornado that stole Nessarose away from Munchkin land, her family, and her sister. She sucked in a quick breath and closed her eyes tightly as she felt her chest constrict in emotional pain. Glinda ('Or Galinda, seeing as we seem to be back in Shiz,' thought Elphaba crossly)

The Glinda that stood before Elphaba watched the emotions play across the Wicked Witch's face, looked on as the hand that wasn't clasping the cup pulled closer to her bosom and its fist clenched and unclenched. The green woman's back hunched slightly and her head bowed as numerous depressing memories passed through conscious thought. Glinda took a dainty sip from her cup before placing it back onto the tray and leaned over slightly to take the teacup from the distraught woman in front of her, her eyes losing a few sparkling moments. As the cup was removed from Elphaba's hand, the arm curled up her face, clutching the forehead that was surely pounding with thought.

"Elphaba, dear… please, you simply must relax. You've got an awfully long way to go, you understand? We must take this time seriously. It is significantly significant that we talk about what has transpired." Glinda voice shook slightly, worried by her green companion's shaking shoulders and quivering bottom lip.

Elphaba allowed herself a moment to calm her thoughts down before she shot her head back up to stare with wide eyes at the woman she thought she would never see again, a woman she had missed while she was in hiding, traveling or otherwise away.

Satisfied that Elphaba was calmed down enough for her to proceed, Glinda placed her hand on her throat and cleared it as quietly as possible. When her hand dropped back to her side, she smiled slightly down at the doe-eyed Witch in front of her.

"You simply must be wondering why, of all places the Other World could be, it has come to you as your old dorm room in Shiz and why-" Elphaba's mouth opened to interrupt Glinda but slowly shut when the glare from the blonde's blue eyes stared her down.

"Why, of all people to come to you, I have appeared in this form. The form of Glinda the Good, or as you would interpret it from our surroundings, Galinda, your greatest friend at Shiz. The funny thing about the Other World is, it doesn't appear in the same fashion to everyone. And they are not all greeted with the same people either. Your mind brought you back to Shiz, where you spent the most of your happier years in Oz. Your mind also subconsciously chose me, in this form, to greet you here. S-surprise?" the doppelganger of Glinda stuttered nervously at the still wide stare of Elphaba.

Elphaba blinked a few times at Glinda before lowering her head into her hands, her bony elbows resting on her knees. Glinda, for the first time during the exchange, felt slightly nervous and shifted her feet distractedly.

"No soul." Elphaba's slightly muffled voice rang out mournfully

"Pardon me?"

"No soul. I do not have one. Simple. I do not have a soul."

Glinda blinked down at the distressed Witch with a surprised raise of her eyebrows. A moment passed where all that could be heard was the slightly louder breathing from Elphaba's hunched-over form. Glinda pushed herself away from the desk with grace before getting onto her knees before Elphaba. She took the green hands softly into her own, forcing Elphaba to look into her icy blue eyes. Her own murky eyes were swimming with sad, confused emotions. Glinda released her right hand and lifted Elphaba's chin slightly to get a better look into the now pale green face of her companion.

"Of course you do, you silly green thing. Come now… hush, sweetling. No need to be so distressed in something you have no control over." Smiled Glinda sweetly

"I have good news for you, Elphie" murmured Glinda quietly, fixatedly staring into Elphaba's brown eyes

The hand at Elphaba's chin moved to cup the woman's green cheek tenderly, both happy to star at each other for a few moments. Glinda broke the spell shyly before standing up to her full height. She offered both hands down to Elphaba, who stared at the pink, fleshy hands for a moment before placing her own green ones into the grasp.

'Pink goes good with green' distractedly recalled Elphaba in her mind

She grabbed onto to them and allowed herself to be pulled up from her spot on the bed to stand in front of Glinda, who then moved away to perch back onto her spot on the table. Elphaba studied Glinda's expression with a closed stare.

"Well… the good news is this is not a permanent state, Miss Elphaba Thopp. The Unnamed God has deemed it… necessary… to send you back to Oz."

Elphaba simply stared at Glinda. And then promptly fainted uncharacteristically back onto the bed.

"…Oh dear… Elphie?"

-o-o-o-o-o-

Author Blabber:

Hey all! I intend to make this a lovely long story about our dear Elphaba's return to Oz :D seeing as I was unhappy with the end of Wicked, The Wizard of Oz and the musical of Wicked. I really rather like Elphaba… and I like Glinda. So… Woo. A new story. Stay tuned for the next chapter of "A Wicked Comeback: The Return to Oz"

REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW!!!!


	2. Chapter 2: Memories and Madness

A Wicked Comeback: The Return To Oz

Disclaimer: I do not in any way own/make profit from the brilliance that is Wicked. That happy joy belongs to Gregory Maguire, the selfish, brilliant bastard… grumbles

Author's Note: Well, I'm very happy for the three reviewers who appreciate my pure brilliance . I'm glad that this was well taken (and in such a small amount of time too!). Thank you Warrior12, DarkwolfKnight and Elphie Loves Galinda, your words of encouragement have not fallen on deaf ears.

-o-o-o-o-o-

_"Well… the good news is this is not a permanent state, Miss Elphaba Thopp. The Unnamed God has deemed it… necessary… to send you back to Oz."_

_Elphaba simply stared at Glinda. And then promptly fainted uncharacteristically back onto the bed._

_"…Oh dear… Elphie?"_

-o-o-o-o-o-

Chapter 2: Memories and Madness 

Glinda stared down at Elphaba's sprawled unconscious form. She resembled a marionette whose strings had been severed, her right arm hung over the side of the bed while her left bent at the elbow and covered her green complexion in an unconsciously dramatic pose. Her beautiful, night-rain hair fanned out behind her head, a few thick strands settled onto her face and fluttered weakly with the shallow breeze from Elphaba's parted emerald lips.

Blinking once, twice, a third time down at the flopped over form, Glinda expelled the breath that she had held in. It came out as a breathy, annoyed sound. As she began to look around the room for some sort of aid, she placed her hands on her pink cloth swathed hips and felt a mild sense of irritation prickle her bubbly thoughts. She turned her head sharply back towards Elphaba, allowing her blond curls to lose their formation. She tried to focus her eyes up towards the stray curl that landed in between her eyes before she blew up at it in an absent-minded attempt to remove the offending stand. After placing it safely with the other strands, Glinda looked down once more. She could see Elphaba's pulse on her neck, a steady 'thump' 'thump' 'thump' motion against the evergreen flesh stretched against the artery.

She took a few relaxing breaths and closed her eyes, ridding herself of the bubbly irritation that had invaded her thoughts.

Glinda took a few small steps towards Elphaba and leaned over her still form. She leaned her left arm down against the bed, next to Elphaba's neck before she extended a thin, pale hand to the arm covering the pale moss-colored face. She lifted the smothering limb and moved it down to her side tenderly before moving her hand back up towards the woman's face. She plucked the dark strands away from her face and smoothed her hair in a comforting stroke.

Glinda lifted herself up away from the thin form underneath her and came around the side of the bed. She leaned down and pulled her hanging arm up and placed it against Elphaba, much like her other one. She moved farther ahead of Elphaba's head before slowly gathering the long, silky black tresses and moved them so she could perch straight-backed on the edge of the mattress. Glinda continued to stroke Elphaba's hair soothingly and began to hum a slow, quiet melody to herself.

-o-o-o-o-o-

While Glinda stroked and did as much as she could to comfort the overwhelmed witch (without resorting to magic), Elphaba found herself trapped in a sea of memories, swirling through half –thoughts and dim, echoing voices…

_'You'll be all right,' Elphaba said, 'now that you're a seasoned traveler. This is just a return leg of a voyage you already know.' She put her face against Glinda's and kissed her. 'Hold out, if you can.' she murmured, and kissed her again. 'Hold out, my sweet.'_

Her youth, when she had disappeared into the crowds in Emerald City. Another memory swept into Elphaba's tortured mind.

_"You have a soul. Everyone does."_

Her Nessie, the last time she had spoken to her.

_"Miss Glinda of the Arduennas" she said, her heart churning._

_"Oh you came, I knew you would," said Glinda. "Miss Elphaba, the last true Eminent Thropp, no matter what they say!"_

_Glinda approached slowly, either through age or shyness…_

The last time she saw Glinda … right before she told her of the ruby shoes that were now worn by Dorothy.

There was something else now, through the fog that Elphaba felt trapped in. A Gentle sweeping motion, a distant melody. Her raging thoughts and sadness soon dissipated as she allowed herself to be caught up in the calm.

-o-o-o-o-o-

Glinda's hand paused mid-stroke on Elphaba's head. She ceased her sweet humming and fixed her intent gaze on Elphaba's twitching eyelids, silently willing her to come back to the "present" dilemma that she now faced.

Slowly, Elphaba felt a slow suction somewhere deep in her mind as she was pulled away from her thoughts, away from the storm she found herself in and back into a conscious state. She left her eyes closed for a moment while she allowed her body to register what was happening. The softness under her legs, buttocks, back and head, a small hand resting on her hair, the slight bend in the mattress above her head. She twitched her fingers lightly, willing blood flow back into the appendages before she cracked a bleary eye open to stare up at the ceiling. She allowed her other eye to open slowly as well before she moved her gaze a little higher to take in Glinda (who seemed to be upside down at this vantage point), who was staring back at her with great intensity.

"Glad to see that you're back with me, sweetling."

Elphaba swallowed a few times to lubricate her parched thoat and bashfully rolled to her side, avoiding Glinda's gaze. Slowly, as if she had been lying there for centuries, she sat up and hung her head wearily.

The silence in the room seemed to draw out for eternity. Both women were lulled into the silence, hypnotized by the slight buzzing in their ears. Glinda absentmindedly smoothed out the invisible wrinkles on her pink gown, picking off invisible fluff while Elphaba sat quite tensely, lost in her own thoughts. Glinda was startled slightly when Elphaba's gruff voice filled the silence.

"Unnamed God?"

Glinda stared at Elphaba's black cloth covered back and pondered the route to go with this conversation.

Because the silence answered Elphaba's question, she turned her head slightly to regard her companion. She raised a dark eyebrow questioningly before turning away again to gaze unseeingly into the empty fireplace.

"Now Elphie, you must understand this; _everyone_ has beliefs. Pleasure Faiths, Lurline, St. Aelphaba of the Waterfall, everything has some sort of truth to it. The Other World and the Unnamed God fall into this category. Your father and Nessarose were wise to believe in what they did, though I must admit that how they went about their faith was a tad… extreme, dear. But they understood that there was something greater out there than themselves."

"But I am an atheist." Elphaba stated shortly

"Yes, you _were_ an atheist, Elphie," Glinda murmured back, "But that does not exempt you from the Other World, dear."

"I have no soul." Elphaba was grasping at straws now

"Nessa put it right to you, dear. 'Everyone has a soul.'"

Elphaba, torn between her lifelong beliefs and what was currently happening to her, stood from the bed quickly and began to pace around furiously, like a caged animal or Animal would have.

Glinda sighed softly and withdrew her wand as Elphaba stomped around the room. She fixed her eyes on Elphaba's form and followed her with her eyes unwaveringly. Glinda flicked the metal rod in her hand a few times and whispered under her breath.

Elphaba stopped pacing immediately and sat down at the desk, facing Glinda blankly. Her angry thoughts had stopped quite suddenly and without warning and she felt as if something had _pulled_ her towards the chair.

As she sat down, Glinda rose from her perch on the bed. She walked forward and around the end of Elphaba's bed and placed her wand back down onto the table. As she did so, she bent her knees slightly so her eyes were level with Elphaba's. She was happy to note that she was listening now, calmer and easier to convince of the truth. She stood up again and turned back to the bed, where she sat again with ease.

"Elphie, you mean green thing, I told you that this was a time for you to listen and understand. Please, do this for me. I don't mean to distress you."

Elphaba's lower eyelids twitched slightly at the word 'distress' but remained calm as Glinda continued.

"Yes, you were atheist. You believed you had no soul, you saw the world for the cold, narrow place that it is. You fought for rights by yourself, believed in the rights of the lower forms of life, everything. Elphie, you realize if people hadn't have conceived the idea that you were wicked from the color of your skin, they would have perceived you as a Saint," Elphaba snorted at this and Glinda felt irritation build up again.

"Yes, Elphie, a _Saint_. Had they seen the Wizard for what he was, they would have flocked to you for leadership. They only follow me for my marriage to a noble, because I seemed to follow the Wizard, because I was not a green, dry, sarcastic woman who flew on a twig in black robes. It's the way you're viewed. Elphaba… understand, please. Ozians are fickle, fickle creatures!" Glinda's eyes searched the murky brown ones that calmly stared back at her own blue ones.

"And… what of this 'mission' that the Unnamed God has left his besotted new follower?" The Witch's dryness and sarcasm seemed to pull all moisture out of the room.

Glinda narrowed her eyes slightly before tossing her hair behind her and resting her cheek against her hand.

"It was a wonder how you ever got through life this far, sweetling." Commented Glinda hotly

"And what is that supposed to mean, your great **bubbly** goodness?" Elphaba raised an eyebrow in a mockingly polite symbol of questioning

Glinda felt warm creep up her neck and onto her cheeks at the insult. She narrowed her eyes further and clenched her teeth together, listening to the slight grind in her own head.

Elphaba watched in masked amusement as her Glinda slowly lost her patience. Her face had flushed a nice pink undertone and her jaw was tensing. Elphaba straightened her back slightly and clasped both hands in her lap before smiling inwardly to herself.

"It means that you're an insufferable _twat_, that's what it means- **No**, listen to me," growled Glinda shrilly when Elphaba scowled and opened her mouth to banter back with her, "You listen here, you great green asparagus. You've been given a second chance. Redemption and all that nonsense. You'll do as your told, yes; don't shake your head at me, Miss Thopp! You listen. You have a task set ahead of you and it will not be easy. You need to understand what you must do before you return and go back to your sulking ways!" Glinda paused briefly to catch her breath, her face now turning a darker shade of pink.

Elphaba waited patiently, for once. There was a flicker of uncertainty, of jumbled thoughts before she quickly masked her emotions again.

"The Unnamed God has realized over these years that Oz is not how it should have been. The Animals that he created are all but existent. Armies have been raised without consent from his Unnamedness, cultures destroyed for 'greater good', as they say. The Unnamed God has watched your struggles, Elphaba, and he has watched as you failed. Your task, dear Elphie, is to reset balance to Oz. No, don't look at me like that, Elphie. I didn't make this choice."

Glinda was startled to hear the cackling, disbelieving giggle of the Witch in front of her.

"Oh for the love of Lurline, Elphie! Take this seriously!"

"I-I _am_! You're… ah! You're telling me t-that … ha… I must restore OZ?" guffawed the Witch, her mirth growing by the second.

Glinda, in a fit of aggravation, stood quickly. She leaned over and swiped her wand off the table, and rapped Elphaba smartly over the head. All giggling ceased immediately as the Witch turned her face up to stare at Glinda with anger and a wince.

"What the hell was that for?"

"C-control yourself, Elphie. This is not the time to lose your mind."

"Oh, my Sweet, I think it was lost the day I entered Shiz."

-o-o-o-o-o-

Author's Blab: Review Review Review. I like reviews. Hey! And if you figure that you've got any artistic talents (or know someone who does and enjoys Wicked themselves) _**PLEASE**_ feel free to illustrate any scene/dialogue! is a great place to post art and I have an account on there myself. Please feel free to reach me :D


	3. Chapter 3: A Sentimental Goodbye

A Wicked Comeback: The Return To Oz

Disclaimer: If I owned Wicked, I'd have made it a lot happier :) Silly Mr. Maguire

Author's Note: A lovely Gelphie story, I know! I'm glad to announce that I haven't already lost interest in writing this story (which is what usually happens when I post the first couple of chapters…) so fear not, dedicated readers :) More is coming! Just make sure you keep reviewing. When you stop reviewing, I'll stop writing.

-Slacker05

-o-o-o-o-o-

_Glinda, in a fit of aggravation, stood quickly. She leaned over and swiped her wand off the table, and rapped Elphaba smartly over the head. All giggling ceased immediately as the Witch turned her face up to stare at Glinda with anger and a wince._

"_What the hell was that for?"_

"_C-control yourself, Elphie. This is not the time to lose your mind."_

"_Oh, My Sweet, I think it was lost the day I entered Shiz."_

-o-o-o-o-o-

Chapter 3: A Sentimental Goodbye 

The wince left Elphaba's face but the anger remained as she glared darkly up at the youthful blonde, who stood with her wand still pointed in Elphaba's direction. Glinda felt a wave of immediate regret flood her as she watched Elphaba's eyes darken further. She swallowed lightly and began a rushed stream of apologies.

"I-I apologize Elphie, you were just-"

"I suggest putting that thing away before I make you swallow it."

Glinda blanched slightly at the icy tone from the green woman and stood quite still, afraid that any sudden movement would trigger her companion's wrath further. She tensed as she watched Elphaba raise her left hand, palm open, but relaxed slightly when it came to rest on the area of her head where she had been struck.

Elphaba, seething with irritation, looked at Glinda furiously, daring her to not whisk the wand away immediately. She felt a surge of dark triumph as she watched Glinda tense, her eyes going wide as she raised her hand. She could almost smell the fear rolling off of the blonde in front of her and she was almost ashamed to admit that she felt a surge of comfort, feeling better knowing she still had some control over the situation.

The still flustered Glinda twitched the wand before it made a 'Pop!' and disappeared from her hand. Lifting both hands to show that she was now disarmed, she took a few steps back before sitting on the edge of the bed. She adjusted the folds in her dress for a moment, flipped a few curls out of her eyes and took a few breaths to calm herself before she raised her gaze back to Elphaba, who was still glowering at her darkly.

Glinda felt color rush to her cheeks again, embarrassed that she had lost her temper with the green Witch in front of her. She opened her mouth to speak but when nothing came to mind, she closed it again. She repeated this action few times before a question occurred to her suddenly.

"Elphie?"

A grunt in response as the Witch crossed her arms in front of her and pinched her lips together in irritation.

"Well… what did you mean exactly when you said you think you lost your mind when you first came to Shiz?" Glinda cocked her head to the right, looking questioningly into Elphaba's dark eyes

The question caught Elphaba off guard and her glare faltered for a moment. The right side of her tense mouth twitched slightly before she lowered her raised hand to her mouth and coughed delicately.

Glinda watched Elphaba curiously as her green cheeks darkened a further shade of green, her own version of blushing. At this, Glinda felt her confusion swell further.

Elphaba looked as if she were growing more and more uncomfortable in the stiff desk chair that she had been forced to occupy and Glinda felt yet another rush of regret at her impatience towards her old friend distress.

As Elphaba finished her light coughing and the extra shade of green had left her cheeks, she twisted a little in her chair to find a more comfortable position. She slouched lower and placed her arms on the old oak armrests, apparently content for the moments time how her lower back felt.

"A figure of speech, my sweet." Elphaba offered in an overly sweet manner, her arms made a rolling, forward-moving gesture and her head nodded to the side slightly.

"I'm well versed in figures of speech, Elphie. That was not a figure of speech" Glinda's eyes narrowed slightly at the mocking bodily movements from the Witch.

"A lapse of thought, then." Elphaba's eyes rolled slightly.

"You've never had difficulty arguing, Elphie." Glinda's tone showed no room for dishonesty.

"Well I _have_ just died, you know. I would imagine that you would have had mercy for me, Glinda the Good." The slightly miffed Elphaba shot back.

"You're a tough old thing, you can handle-"

"I-I'm not old! You're the same age as me, Glinda!" Interrupted Elphaba with an indignant squawk.

"This isn't answering my question. Why are you not answering?" asked Glinda, exasperatedly.

There was a brief pause between the quick banter. Glinda raised a golden eyebrow at Elphaba, who glared back and shrugged her shoulders quickly before pursing her lips and turning her head away to stare at the desk.

"I just don't feel like discussing my mental stability with you."

"Elphie…" trailed off Glinda

Elphaba's tone changed suddenly. It was soft and sad, quietly floating over to Glinda's delicate, pink ears. Glinda cocked her head to the side again and stared questioningly at the witch who avoided her gaze in order to trace scratches in the grainy wood with her eyes.

"Shiz was a change from Quadling country, from Munchkin Land… I grew up hated, scorned, choose a word that means 'unpleasant in nature' and that's what it was. It did not change at Shiz for the most part… until-"

**BANG!**

**BANG!**

**BANG!**

Both women jumped harshly and felt their heartbeats lunge into their throats as adrenaline made its course though their veins. Glinda's arms had rushed up to cover her ears and her eyes were firmly shut against the frightening interruption. Elphaba simply clutched at the armrests until her knuckles grew pale and ached from force, her eyes wide and staring at the entrance door. Her cold mask dropped a little. Fear shined through her eyes and her mouth hung open a fraction.

Uncovering her ears, Glinda fumbled clumsily with her hands, repeating a small gesture. With a small 'POP', her wand returned to her hands. She held it before her while she stood slowly and took a frightened stance facing the door. As the loud bangs echoed slowly away from their senses, there came the groaning on floorboards outside the door, as if someone heavy-built were shifting their weight from foot to foot impatiently.

Elphaba released the armrest and pushed herself up to stand beside Glinda quickly. She pulled off her cloak with an impatient yank and it pooled to the floor in a puddle of black cloth around her ankles. She adjusted herself a little before taking a wider stance than Glinda, ready for battle. She looked over to Glinda, who was still wide-eyed and clutching her wand helplessly in front of her, before staring into her eyes and gave a reassuring nod to her, her hair waving slightly in front of her eyes before she pushed it behind her small green ear.

Glinda shuddered slightly, fear raising goose bumps on her arms and neck before shakily waved her long metal wand in front of her, narrowing her eyes as she willed the door open.

With a click, the lock popped open and the doorknob began to rattle weakly. Narrowing her eyes further, the door slammed fully open suddenly, causing a slight breeze to rush into the room.

Glinda's eyes searched the doorframe, searching for the creature to have made such a ruckus at their door to the Other World. She walked forward slightly, wand still outstretched and poised, ready for whatever it was that they had heard to make an appearance.

As Glinda moved forward with new found bravely to inspect the area, Elphaba's eyes widened in true fright. She looked past Glinda, who was searching for damage. She was looking past the door. She looked into nothing, the great abyss that she had floated serenely though not an hour ago. There was nothing there. No hallway leading to other dorms… It was simply a drop off into explicit _nothing._

Glinda finished examining the door before turning to look out into the empty space. She began muttering frantically, though Elphaba could not hear exactly what she was saying, before closing the door quietly, turning back and walking back to Elphaba. She began speaking to Elphaba but Elphaba was still focused on the door, seeing past it into the air that went on forever. There was a fuzzy sound in her ear but she ignored it. She did not blink and her breathing became shallow again as her hysteric thoughts overtook her again.

'_Nothing. That's what it is. A vast plane of empty._' Elphaba thought to herself numbly.

A tugging on her arm brought her back to reality. Glinda came into to focus, her worried blue eyes staring up into her face. With a bit of embarrassment, Elphaba realized that Glinda had been talking to her.

Elphaba's face soured slightly, her cheeks flaring a darker green again before she spoke.

"Pardon?"

Glinda frowned slightly and looked back to the door. She looked back up into Elphaba's eyes again and began repeating what the green witch had missed her say before.

"That was our warning; our time is almost up, Elphie"

Elphaba nodded curtly and Glinda began a new course of conversation.

"When you go back, Elphie, you must find me. When you do, I would greatly appreciate it if you gave me this-" Glinda handed a small package wrapped in brown paper and twine over to Elphaba, "and do not linger. I will understand and eventually seek you out myself."

Elphaba did not question where the parcel appeared from. She simply nodded her head and weighed it quickly in her hand as Glinda began to speak again

"You'll have to leave a different way than when we came in. I cannot leave with you this time, sweetling." Glinda bent down and grabbed Elphaba's cloak off the ground. She dusted it slightly with her hand before taking it and swinging it around Elphaba's shoulders. As she tied a knot, she looked up into Elphaba's eyes regretfully.

Her eyes were sad, a softer blue than ever before and Elphaba allowed herself a moment to feel calmed by their nature. As Glinda sighed and dropped her arms away, Elphaba took a moment to realize fuzzily that she was unnecessarily close to Glinda. Neither of them made to move out of the area and both felt a ghosting, creepish sensation over the back of their necks. Glinda seemed to lose her spark; her bubbly personality wavered for a moment. She then took a step back and smiled ruefully up at Elphaba, who stared down at her with open curiously.

"You'll find your way back through Ama Clutch's old door." Murmured Glinda softly

Elphaba nodded and took her dismissal with dignity, turning towards the door and walked towards it with purposeful strides. As she drew nearer to the door, she extended a thin pale hand towards the slightly dusty door knob and did not look back-

Until her other arm was grabbed. She paused her movements to turn her head and look back to a misty-eyed Glinda, whose pink bottom lip quivered lightly with emotion. Elphaba turned back to fully face Glinda uneasily, unsure of the blondes' state of mind. As she began to ask Glinda what she had further to say, she let out a small "oomph" as Glinda launched herself Elphaba, embracing her tightly and burying her head into the moth-eaten shoulder padding of Elphaba's worn-out attire.

Startled slightly at the sudden physical contact, Elphaba held her arms out away from the Glinda's body, looking down at her golden head in slightly horrified confusion. She waited a moment until she heard a sniffle followed my a small hiccup to gingerly lower her arms around Glinda's petite frame.

A few moments passed, long agonizing moments for Elphaba, as she was clutched at ferociously. As the moments slithered by, Elphaba began to pat Glinda's back, rubbing soothing circles in hopes that she would be released.

When she was finally untangled from Glinda, she was happy to feel air sucked into her lungs again.

Glinda stepped back, red-faced, and lowered her head in embarrassment for a moment as she allowed herself to calm down. As her breathing turned to small, shuddering hiccups, she looked up at Elphaba with red, puffy eyes. Taken aback, Elphaba simply stared at Glinda, waiting for her to say something.

"I… I just wanted you to know that I've missed you, Elphie. I suspect Fiyero never _did_ mention it to you in Emerald City. "

Elphaba simply allowed her mouth to hang open again, the look of horrified confusion morphed into complete bewilderment.

"I see I was right. Elphie, one more thing before you leave," Glinda's gaze hardened again, still a sad look though it was more determined. "I will not be expecting you when you come to find me, sweetling. Though I _**am**_ Glinda, I am not her conscious memory. My conscious memory is quite unaware that I am here, Elphie. It is important you find me before Dorothy enters the Emerald City. She will undoubtedly spread the rumor that you have died at her hands and I will be distraught with the news. I will undoubtedly believe I have gone mad if I see you after hearing it." Glinda gave her a watery smile; it did not reach her eyes.

Glinda took a few steps forward to Elphaba, who tensed again, fearing another lengthy embrace. Glinda's bubbly self reappeared as she entered the Witch's rather large personal bubble and leaned in close, closer to the Witch's face. Elphaba felt pinned, paralyzed by the sparkling blue eyes drawing closer, much too close to her own face. Barely inches apart, Elphaba could feel Glinda's warm breath on her face and she shuddered slightly.

Glinda's right arm reached past Elphaba and grabbed the doorknob, thought it went unnoticed by Elphaba. It simply made her feel more boxed in by the petite woman. The blonde was simply too close to the witch, her scent filling her senses, her vision filled with blonde curls and bright, mirth-filled eyes.

Elphaba's breath hitched as Glinda's other hand found its way to her shoulder, resting there lightly. She was drowning in blue and the scent of flowers, still completely unable to move. Her mouth was still hanging open slightly and she had to tilt her head down to keep eye contact with Glinda. She realized dimly that she only had a few moments before –before…

Before the door behind her swung open wildly and the hand resting lightly on her shoulders shoved her roughly through the frame.

Elphaba felt winds whip around roughly as she fell through nothing, her shocked cries echoed off of this nothing which seemed more funnel-like. As unconsciousness began to settle onto her, Elphaba had a final glimpse of Glinda's quickly retreating face watching her fall with a regretful smile and a small wave goodbye.

-o-o-o-o-o-

Author's Blab: Oooh that sneaky Glinda! So skilled in her seductive movements hahahaha. I bet I had a few of you going "oh! OOH! LOOK! Gelphie moment!!!!"

You should all love me for spitting out these chapters so quickly… In fact, you should love me SO much that you'll leave a review to keep me motivated! Internet cookies all around, I promise :)

I will be away this weekend, so do not expect another snappy update. I'm off to Montreal for a NASCAR race and Dunn's Delicatessen Smoked Meat Sandwiches (apparently world famous...) and then off to visit family… and then off to my cottage. I might write while I'm there but I've come to the conclusion that I'd actually like to make this a worthwhile fiction, so I'll be planning out future events hahaha.


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